Step-ladder



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(No Model.)

' J. HILL.

STEP LADDER.- No. 377,616. f Patented Feb. 7, 1888.

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UNITED STATES JAMI'is HILL, or

PATENT OFPIce.

wILKEs-BARR, PENNSYLVANIA, AssIeNoR To' Tieni` I-X L PUMP COMPANY, or GosHEN, INDIANA.

STEP-LADDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 377,616, dated February 7,1888.

Application filed J une 20, 1887.

To. all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES HILL, Aa citizen of the United States, and a resident of Wilkes- Barr, Luzerne' county, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Step-Ladders, of which the following is a specification.

One of the objects of my invention is to so combine a supporting-shelf with a confining rod orbrace on the ladder that said shelf will be folded up or down automatically as the ladder is closed or opened, will serve as an effective brace for the ladder when it is opened, and willnot interfere with thense of the ladder when the latter is closed.

A' further object is to so construct the shelf that it can be used with' the parts adjusted to form a stepladder, or when the rear frame is turned up so as to form an extensionladder- In the accompanying drawings, Figure l, Sheet l, is a vertical section of my improved step-ladder, showing the same opened; Fig. 2, a like section showing the ladder closed; Fig. 3, a sectional plan on the line 1 2, Fig. 1, the portion above this line being shown in dotted lines; Fig. 4., Sheet 2, a sectional view showing the method of turning up the rear frame so as to form an extension-ladder; and Fig. 5,

a View illustrating Vthe position of the'shelf when the ladder is extended.

.A A are the side barsot the ladder having the usual steps, B, and D is the rear frame composed of opposite bars hung `to strips a on the bars A, and connected together some distance'from the bottom by a transverse rod, b. To a transverse pin, d, carried bythe side bars of the frame D, is hung the shelf F, the projecting bar fof which has in the front end a slot, g, for the reception of a rod, h, which extends between two of the steps B, andris secured at its opposite ends to said steps. lThis rod h so controls the front end of the barf that as the rear frame, D, of the latter is swung in or out the shelf will be caused to turn on its vpivotrod d, and will be turned up, as shown in Fig. 2, or down, as shown in Fig. 1.

When turned up, the shelf is within the limits of the rear frame, D, and does not interfere with the use of the ladder against a wall, on a stairway, or in like positions, and when turned down the bar f, by contact with the rod h, serves to brace the rear frame and prevent the collapse of the ladder, the shelf also in this position presenting a convenient means for supporting a bucket or other utensil.

-pivoted to said bracing-frame and having Serial N o. 241,852. (N o model.)

The rod h is confined to the slot g by means of a pivoted turn-buckle, t', at the `end ofthe arm f, and when it is desired to release said arm from the control of the rod h, in order to permitthe tnrningup of the frame D to forni an extension-ladder, this turn-buckle is thrown around so as to uncover the slot, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3, whereupon the shelf can be turned to the position shown in Fig. 4., so as` then turned part way around so as to lock th arm tothe step.

A spring-catch will, it is evident, answer the sanne purpose as the hooked catch m, and a detachable sleeve or clasp may, if desired, be substituted for the turn-buckle i, to serve the purpose of a retainer for the rod h.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination of the ladder-frame A and the rear bracingframe, D, the shelf F, a bar, f, and the rod 7i, secured to the ladder and adapted to a slot in the bar f, as set forth.

2. The combination of the frame A, the rear frame, D, pivoted so as to form when turned up an extension of the frame A, the shelf F,

pivoted to said frame D, and having an arm, j', with slot g and removable retainer i, and

the rod h, secured to the ladder and adapted' to the slot g, as set forth.

3. The combination of the` frame A, the rear frame, D, pivoted so that when turned up it will form an extension of the frame A, the shelf F, pivoted to said frame D, and having.

an arm, f, with slot n, and the catch m, adapted JAMES -HILL.

Witnesses: A

PHILIP ONEILL, Y WM. A. ONEILL,

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